Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-02-24


think that's the man with our trunks,n
and Miss Black hastened 10 look after the
baggage.
A little later, as Mrs Black and her
daughter were about 70 enter the dining
room, the fOrmer waited for some one 70
come up 10 them and then saidi "Rhodora,
let me introduce you 10 Capt. Greene. He
and your Uncle Will were old comrades. "
"How do you do" said Miss Black,
trying TO call up n smile for the sake Of
her Uncle Will They found themselves
seated at Capt Greene's table, and in
few moments the waiter drew out the
chair opposite for tall gentleman with
tawny mustache and dark brown eyes,
his uniform denoted the rank of first lieu
tenant. Rhodora had seen him before
and had admired him, but she saw now,
with little start, that IL was the gentle
man in gray, who had changed his tweed
for the Objectionable blue. He was in
troduced to her mother, but Capt. Greene
did not present him to Miss Rhodora,
which sent a rush Of blood to her neck
and cheeks; it also broke her silence, and
she launched forth into brilliant con-
versatlon, so occupying her mother and
Capt Greene hat Lieut.. Halsted seemed
to haye been utterly forgotten by them.
Mother" said Rhodora, when they
had gone to their rooms, her cheeks
flushed and her eyes brilliant, ''never let
| me be introduced to that Lieut.. Halstead.
lie has asked not to meet me-"
"Why, my dear, didn't you meet himf
did not notice. / must have turned to
speak to George"
mo; and Ii was very decided"
"Yor must have imagined it, my
DEAR IT, '
"Now, motherr'
"Well, well, as You like, but it is
| foolish freak"
Rhodora was half inclined to tell her
mother Of the remark she had heard as
she passed the group Of officers on the
wharf that morning, but she decided not
| to speak of it.
| Rhodora often detained her mother that
they might be late to dinner or lunch, but
go when they would Lieut.. Halstead al
ways seemed to be there. tf.
| He ate slowly, and Rhodora declared
that he took everything in courses from
olives to cheese, and that his digestive
apparatus was certainly in excellent trim,
for he ate with fifteen minutes interval
between each mouthful. .
When she was invited to join large
party the next day she adroitly had the
hostess run over the list of her guests,
and when she found that Lieut.. Hal
stead's name was not among them she
| gladly consented to CO.
1t was after Z in the evening when she
returned, tired and hungry, but signing
with satisfaction to think that she could
eat comfortable meal without pair Of
staring brown eyes opposite.
She had finished her soup when the
hall door opened. Alas! she knew this
firm, decided step too well. George smil-
ingly pulled out the chair opposite and
Lieut.. Halstead seated himself demurely.
1t was just too bad. Tears of vexation
gathered in those large gray eyes. He
came on purpose to annoy her, He was
the rudest man she had ever seen. Her
first impulse was to leave the table, but
she would not give him the satisfaction
of knowing she was angry; besides, she
was hungry. She would eat very slowly.
She did no. care how miserable she felt if
| only she could make him uncomfortable,
so with studied air of composure she
reached for the crackers and upset her
glass of water. She didn't care, but it
was rather embarrassing. She was sure
he was smiling. She ate slower than
ever, and looked quite serene gazing of
into space. The room was oppressively
quiet. He was taking an endless time fol
his dinner, so she hurried and almost
choked herself, but he seemed to be
hurrying too, now that she tried to get
through first.
She had just decided that she could not
endure this moment longer, yet deter
mined that he should not have the salts
faction of having spoiled her dinner when
she heard in sonorous tones: miss Black
may trouble you for the pepper'n
She started, but said in = frozen man
ner Certainly, "handing him the catsup
"The pepper, please" he said, smiling
at the same time half withrawing hi!
hand from the bottle, while she, suppos
ing he would take it from her, let it sliI
from her fingers. oN @
| II beg your pardon" he said, but no
before the brown liquid had deluged tn
table. I v........
''It is of no consequence, said Mis-
Rhodora, quite confused, then pointing
toward his elbow she sad in tragic tones
"There's the pepperF'
$50 it is, "he said, his brown eyes smil
ing at her. ''It's too bad to have troubled
YOU" ... ....s
1t would have been natural for Rhodori
to make some polite response, but she bi
her lip and remained silent.
"I presume you had pleasant barg
party?" he said, agreeably. '
"Quite pleasant" was the frigid an
swer.
II was out hunting and could not 60
I only came in half an hour sincc.'
He had evidently only had time t,
change his hunting suit and come dow
to dinner. Rhodora repented a little
possibly he had not come in late for tn
purpose of annoying her; still she remem
bered his remark about Detroit girls ant
ceased to relent toward him. a,.
She had finished her dinner and risel
from the table. Lieut.. Halstead aros
also and held the dining room door opel
for her to pass.
"May come into the parlor with your
he asked.
There was nothing for her to do but t,
acquiesce. Now that he was her CUES
she was obliged to show just the least al
Of cordiality, but she tried to make he
mother bear the burden of the converse
tion ,rE Bn.N
Mrs. Black liked Lieut.. Halstead, ant
Rhodora found herself listening with in
terest to their conversation, for Mrs. Blacl
had the rare faculty of bringing out tn
best that was in one, while Lieut.. Hal
stead was utterly unconscious that he wa
making this conversation mOnologue
ctn tod In YN,;n1